Improvement in devices for lighting street-lamps



v 2Sheets Shee 1. E. B. HELM & G. S. CLEMENTS. DEVICE FOR LIGHTING STREET-LAMPS.

N0.179,791. Patented J'uly 11, 1876.

MPETERG, wucmumoeumap. wAs'm' mama.

2Sheets-SheetZ. E. B. HELM & G. S. GLEMENTS.

DEVICE FDR LIGHTING STREET-LAMPS.

No. 179,791. Patented J'u1y 11,1376.

Fig.5- m- WITNESSES. INVENTEIR:

ATTORNEY.

NJPEI'ERS, PNOYOJJTNOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON- D. C.

UNtcrnD STATES PATENT -0 Frron.

EDWIN B. HELM AND GEORGE S. 'OLEMENTS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DEVICES FOR LlGHTlNG STREET-LAMPS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 179,791, dated July 11, 1876 application filed June 14, 1876.

for that purpose, and also in the employment of compressed air to operate such mechanical devices, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled inthe art to which our invention appertains to make and use the same, we will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, which forms a part .of this specification, and-in which Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is an elevation of side opposite of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view. Figs. 4 and 5 are detail sec tional views. Fig. 6 is a detail view.

A represents the gas-pipe, with the burner B and cock 0. On the stem of the gas-cock C is secured a cam, D, constructed as shown in the drawing, having exactly the same fo'rmation'on both sides of the center, forming a straight side from a to the point I), and from the point I) it is curved to the point a on theother side, where the other straight side commences. 0n the back of the cam D is a springpawl, (1, taking into ratchet e, to prevent the cock from being turned in but one direction. In front of the cam D, upon the stem of the gas-cock, is loosely placeda disk, E, connected with the cam by means of a pawl, h, and ratchet i. The disk has on one side a projecting ear, which, by a pivoted rod, f, is connected with a cylinder or barrel, Gr, closed at its upper end, open at the bottom, and titting over a vertical pipe, H, the cylinder being capable of moving up anddown on said pipe. The pipe E is connected with a systempipe, I, laid in the ground, and communicating with a compressed -air reservoir, J. On the side of the gaspipe A is pivoted an arm, K, one end of'which is bent upward and inward, and the extreme end is bent outward to come in contact with the edge of the cam D, it being held against said cam by means of a weight, M, attached to the-other end of the arm K. The weighted end of the arm K is by a link, 7c, connected with a plunger, m,

that Works in a tube or barrel, L, attached in an inclined position to the burner B. At the upper end of the tube L are flanges n a, forming, as it were, a basket over the same. From the side of the tube L, near the upper end, extends another tube, N, in the lower end of which is inserted the tubular pellet-chamber 0, it being held in the tube N by an ordinary bayonet-lock or other suitable fastening.

Wit-bin the chamber 0 is a plunger, P, pressed upward by means of a spring, 12, as shown.

Anumber of explosive pellets are placed in the chamber 0, the plunger being drawn back, and the chamber then inserted and fastened in the tube N, when the plunger will force them upward so, as to always leave one pellet on top of the plunger m in the tube L, when the apparatus is ready for work. i

'One apparatus of this kind is to be attached to each burner that is to be automatically lighted, and all the pipes H connected, by pipes I, with the same reservoir J, which may be located at any point desired. At the outlet from the reservoir J into the pipes I is an inlet-cock, s, and an exhaust'cock, t.

When it is desired to light the burners, the exhaust-cock t is closed and the cock 8 opened. The compressed air then instantly rushes through the pipe I into the pipe H, and in each and every apparatus raises the barrel or cylinder Gr sufficient to give the disk E onefourth of a revolution, and the disk E, by-

means of the pawl and ratchet h 2', turns the cam D the same distance, thereby opening the gascock O and allowing the gas to escape. The movement of the cam D turns the arm K on its pivot, so as to raise the-plunger m, with the pellet on top of it, up against the flanges n. The entire movement is done very quick, so that the pellet will explode by the sudden contact with the flanges n, and light the gas escaping from the burner. The inlet-cock s is then closed and the exhaust-cock It opened, when the compressed air in the pipes will be exhausted and the barrel Gr fall down, drawing with it the disk E, the barrel being weighted or heavy enough "for that purpose. The cam 1), however, remains in position, it being held by means of the pawl and ratchet d e.

To extinguish the light, the compressed air is admitted again in the same manner to the pipes, which raises the barrel G to turn the disk E and cam D a'fourth of a revolution, shutting 011' the gas. Bythe construction of the cam, during this movement thereof the arm K is not operated, and hence no pellet exploded. The air is then exhausted in the same manner as before, and the barrel G de scends to its former position, leaving the apparatus ready for lighting again.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to seeure'by Letters Patent, is-- 1. .A gas lighting apparatus connected by pipes with compressed-air reservoir provided with inlet and exhaust cocks, whereby the compressed air may be admitted into the pipes and exhausted therefrom, toroperating the apparatus, as set forth.

2. The combination of the vertical pipe H, connected with a compressed-air reservoir, the weighted barrel or cylinderG, and-rod or. pitman connecting the samewith the-gaslighting apparatus, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. The combination of the barrel G, operated by compressed air, as deseribedpthe rod f, disk E, camD, gas cock 0, and thepawls and ratehets h i and d e, all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. a

4. The combination of the revolving cam D, pivoted arm K, bent as described, link plunger m, and tube L with flanges n, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

5. The combination, with the-tube'L, of the side tube N, pellet-chamber 0, and plunger P, with spring 1), substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we affix-our signatures inthe presence of two witnesses.

EDWIN -B. HELM. GEORGE S.'(JLEMENTS.

Witnesses to'I-IELM:

H. B. BROWN, JAs'F. DU HAMEL.

Witnesses to OLEMENTs: J OHNO. GREEN, B. S. CHAMBERS. 

